Our Times / Orange County Communities

Dana Point

The city recently added to its vehicle fleet through grant money made available to fight pollution.

When a few trucks that the city had been using for code enforcement became outdated, the city looked into state grant money that can only be used to reduce pollution, City Manager John B. Bahorski said.

Dana Point staff found out that the grant could be used for alternative-fueled vehicles, and, following City Council approval, four electric-powered pickups were added to the city's fleet.

Code enforcement officers use the trucks to make inspections and investigate complaints, and nonsworn police volunteers use them for community service tasks. Although the trucks can only run about 60 miles on a single charge, the lack of range isn't a problem in a small city like Dana Point, code enforcement Officer Angela Duzich said.